Trooper of the MonthMarch 1999

Corporal Ronald C. Cox has been selected as recipient of the Florida Highway Patrol Trooper of the Month award for March 1999, based on his outstanding effort in conducting a very complex traffic homicide investigation.

During the month of March 1999, Corporal Cox completed this complicated investigation, which actually began on June 15, 1998, and testified in court against Mr. Jeffrey Sakemiller. Mr. Sakemiller and his daughter, Catriona, had gone into town to purchase a pool for Catriona and were returning home when the fatal crash occurred. Mr. Sakemiller was driving the vehicle and had permitted Catriona to ride in the pool in the back of his pickup truck. The pool, with Catriona in it, blew out of the truck; Catriona was subsequently struck and killed by another vehicle. Corporal Cox was assigned as the Traffic Homicide Investigator for this case.

On March 17, 1999, Mr. Sakemiller was sentenced to 171.2 months in prison for Vehicular Homicide, Driving with a Suspended Driver License, and Culpable Negligence Exposing Another to Injury. These convictions were the result of the traffic crash. Corporal Cox conducted an excellent investigation, carefully preserving the chain of custody on the blood evidence that was taken from Mr. Sakemiller. Also, during the course of the trial, Cox survived several "Motions to Suppress Evidence", and got the blood entered as evidence in the case.

Mr. Sakemiller was a habitual traffic offender who had four (4) previous DUI convictions. However, the most damaging evidence against Mr. Sakemiller was Corporal Cox’s investigative report, as well as his testimony in court.

Corporal Cox is a 22-year veteran of the Florida Highway Patrol assigned to Troop A, Marianna.